French Lentil Salad With Sweet Peppers And Basil Recipes

FRENCH LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add lentils and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lemon juice, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt. Add lentils, almonds (if using), cabbage, and herbs and toss to combine. Lentil salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

FRENCH LENTIL SALAD WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND BASIL

Steps:

• ABOUT THE RECIPE: Lentils provide a substantial base and plenty of plant-based protein, while the veggies and flavorings add zing to this satisfying French Lentil Salad Bowl with Sweet Peppers and Basil. Makes 4 servings
• INGREDIENTS: SALAD 4 cups cooked French green lentils, well chilled (note) 2/3 cup diced sweet onion 1 medium red sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil DRESSING 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• INSTRUCTIONS: Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl and gently stir to combine. Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over salad and gently stir to combine. Spoon into bowls and serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours and served cold.
• Chef's Note: Lentils don't need to be presoaked, but make sure to check for small stones before preparing, and be certain to rinse them well. To cook the lentils, put 4 cups water with 2 cups lentils into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low, cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if the pan becomes dry. The lentils are done when they are soft (they do not need to absorb all of the water). Drain off any excess water in a fine meshed strainer.

GRILLING CHEESE WITH SWEET PEPPERS AND BLACK LENTILS

Steps:

• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add lentils and cook until just tender but not falling apart (they should hold their shape), about 20 minutes. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, honey, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl to combine; season with kosher salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add cheese and cook, turning occasionally, until heated through and brown and crispy on all sides, about 5 minutes total. (Some varieties of paneer are made without salt; if using one of these, season your pieces of cheese while cooking.) Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to same pan, then add sweet peppers and oregano. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and cook over medium-high, stirring and pressing down occasionally on sweet peppers with a wooden spoon so they make good contact with the pan, until softened and blistered in spots, 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add warm lentils and reserved dressing to pan and toss to combine, then toss in cheese.
• Transfer sweet pepper mixture to a platter or plates. Top with basil and season with sea salt and more black pepper.

WARM FRENCH LENTILS

Steps:

• Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan, add the leek and carrots, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute and set aside.
• Meanwhile, place the lentils, 4 cups of water, the onion with the cloves, and the turnip in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. Remove and discard the onion and turnip and drain the lentils. Place them in a medium bowl with the leek and carrots, and add the butter.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Add to the lentils, stir well, and allow the lentils to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve. The longer the lentils sit, the more salt and pepper you'll want to add.

BROWN BUTTER LENTIL AND SWEET POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees and set a rack in the center.
• Prepare the sweet potatoes: On a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, 15 to 25 minutes.
• While the sweet potatoes cook, prepare the lentils: Add the lentils to a medium pot and cover with about 6 cups water. Salt the water generously and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the lentils until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain the lentils then return them to the pot. Cover to keep warm.
• Prepare the vinaigrette: Add the sage to a small bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet set over medium heat. (Use a pan with a light interior so you can easily see the milk solids change color.) Cook the butter a few minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the milk solids off the bottom and sides of the pan as needed, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell toasty.
• Pour the hot browned butter and all of the toasty bits over the sage; it will crackle and foam a bit. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute to let the foam subside, then whisk in the olive oil, followed by the red wine vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the pot with the warm lentils. Pour the dressing over the top and stir gently to combine. Add the parsley, season with more salt and pepper, if desired, and toss to combine.
• Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with goat cheese, if using. Serve warm.

COLD LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Peel outer skins from garlic bulbs and cut about 1/4 inch from the top of each bulb to expose cloves; place each bulb onto a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle each with about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, and wrap garlic bulbs in the foil. Place wrapped bulbs into a baking dish.
• Bake garlic in the preheated oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Let bulbs cool.
• Place lentils into a 5-quart pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Drain lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water to cool; drain again.
• Break garlic bulbs apart and squeeze cloves to release cooked garlic. Place garlic into a large salad bowl and add grape tomatoes, parsley, and green onions. Whisk balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Fold lentils into tomato mixture and pour dressing over salad; gently toss to coat. Keep refrigerated until serving time.

SWEET PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• In a salad bowl, combine the peppers, onion and lemon zest. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, oil, sugar, basil, salt and pepper; shake well. Pour over vegetables; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

MEDITERRANEAN STYLE ROASTED RED PEPPER AND LENTIL SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Toss red pepper halves with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and roast until the peppers are very soft and crisp at the edges, about 20 minutes. Allow peppers to cool, then dice into 1/4-inch cubes. Set aside in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine lentils and cold water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, add a pinch of salt, and simmer, covered, until the lentils are just tender to the bite, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and cool. Transfer cooled lentils to the mixing bowl.
• Gently mix in the onion, celery, carrots, and parsley. Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Combine the Dijon mustard, chopped shallots, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and balsamic vinegar in a blender. Blend on High for 10 seconds. Gradually add olive oil and blend again until the dressing is fully emulsified and smooth. Pour 1/2 cup dressing over lentils and stir gently with a wooden spoon. Taste the salad and add remaining dressing if desired.